A few words about....Blu-Ray (1 Viewer)

[DaViD Boulet]

Nils,

just wanted to thank you for your continued effort to bring good information to this thread!

...and...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

-dave

 

[Andreas_CH_M]

Rumors about a delay in 50GB BD-ROM discs are not proven false (or true for that matter).

In the AVS mega-thread, it is always pointed out that BD-R and -RE are very different beasts than BD-ROM, and that advances in one field doesn't necessarily mean anything for the other.

So the only thing we know is that they can manufacture BD-R and BD-RE in DL, and that they very probably will be able to stamp BD-ROM DL sooner or later.

 

[dana martin]

one of the things that no one has mentioned yet is what the "other industry " has planned, i mean at the moment we know pretty much where the big six stand, but the other is a multi billion industry. it will have some of the deciding factor in what way they go as well

another thing that was discussed earlier is packaging, as in disc space, that could prevent 4 disc sets, 2 disc special editions,and the like, it has been forever since one of the studios has come on here and done a chat, i wish the would so that some of the concerns could be answered. i mean really, i am at this moment holding out on a few titles, that would help decide to make this plunge

 

[Dave Moritz]

As it seems to stand currently Sony Blu-ray has a handful of titles that will be released for the rollout of Blu-ray. And some of the titles are older movies, movies that in my honest opinion should wait to see HD. Toshiba on the other hand seems to have more top notch titles for the initial rollout of HD-DVD. Sony just seems to make bad marketing decisions over and over and over again. Sony just sucks at marketing .

Sony has messed up with Beta-max, 8mm, Mini Disc, SACD and now they are messing up Blu-ray. While it has not happened yet just look at Sony's track record in the marketing department. And look at the same stupid mistakes being made all over again with Blu-ray. HD-DVD players will cost less and there will be more top notch movies available. Mmmmm does this remind anyone of the Beta-max disaster? Back then VHS machines where more affordable and there where more titles available for VHS as well. Even though Beta had a superior product VHS still won the format war.

I even got into a discussion with a salesman at Best Buy that actually believed that Sony and Toshiba where going to dump there formats and work together to make a new one. I tried to tell him that was old news. And that Toshiba had no intention of working with Sony. He seemed to not believe me when I told him that both camps where sticking with there own formats and where demonstrating them at CES in Las Vegas.

The real killer for me regarding HD-DVD is that it will not output 1080i via component video. Also that the picture is not as good as Blu-ray from what I have been hearing. Its a slap in the face to all the early HD adopters that purchased pre HDMI HDTV's . Sony needs to get of there rear ends and act like they intend on winning this format war and end it quickly. They only way to do that is to offer players that the average consumer will buy. They also need to offer enough top rate movies to attract the consumer and make him want to invest in a new format. If you do not do that then Sony ends up with yet another Beta / SACD! IMHO SACD has died already, and that is a shame because that format had allot of potential. The same goes for DVD-A that format had alot of potential but it was not marketed correctly ether.

I am hoping that Blu-ray has a real shot at succeeding and is not yet another failed format in the making. We need a really good HD format and the good titles to go with it

 

[BrettGallman]

Well, don't forget that Sony will also be relying on one of, if not their most successful product, the Playstation, to help out with this format. Just look at the demand for the X-Box 360 right now; the PS3 will be even more insane, which means there will be Blu-Ray players installed in homes.

Now, I don't know if there's any truth to this, but I've heard a lot of times that the PS2 really helped in increasing the popularity of the DVD format. I know it was the first DVD player I ever owned personally (not counting the family's Toshiba unit). Maybe they're hoping to repeat that? I know my PS3 will be the only Blu-Ray player I own until stand-alone players become cheaper. It's also just the smart thing for me to do personally, because I'm getting a PS3 regardless, so I will be able to enjoy some Blu-Ray releases and not have to worry about getting burned by obsolete hardware (unless the PS3 somehow tanks...not likely, though).

Another thing to possibly think about: the UMD format on Sony's PSP system seems to be doing pretty well for itself. I don't know how valid the comparison is between that format and Blu-Ray because I don't know the production costs and such, but I think UMD shows that a new format can exist. Of course, UMD is geared towards that one, specific market, whereas Blu-Ray hopes to penetrate a mainstream market; if anything, like others have said, maybe whichever format wins out (hopefully BD), can thrive as a niche market just as UMD does.

 

[FrancisP]

UMD is cashing in on the same craze with portable media that the ipod is cashing in on. Neither blu-ray nor HD-DVD
are portable. That may be the hot market not HD. People spend more time away from home and they increasingly want to take their media with them.

 

[Ed St. Clair]

Any sales numbers? Any comparison sales to DVD?
Thanks.
Well, I have seen prices for this format drop fast. First saw this at BB for thirty bucks (for KB V1 when the DVD was $15).
The success of this format is also the needle to the ballon of the "gamers don't watch movies" argument!!! ;-)

A little something, something...
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/11862

Real numbers (2006)...
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/06...s_6128001.html

 

[Jim Smith]

Just about every gamer I know (and all my friends are gamers) are also movie buffs. The gamers don't care about movies is just downright false. Blu-Ray internally built in every Playstation 3 will drive Blu-Ray to a quick victory.